Saturn's Shine
by Tenshi Cat
Summary: Hotaru Tomoe must now go train Usagi Tsukino into the perfect queen for Crystal Tokyo at Hogwarts! But all she wanted to do was spend time with her father not go all the way to England! What? Usagi meets other boys? Uh-oh! Maybe romance later! SM/GW/HP
1. Hotaru Tomoe

SATURN'S SHINE  
  
CHAPTER ONE: HOTARU TOMOE  
  
~*~*~  
  
Hotaru Tomoe gingerly traced the trail of the raindrop on the window. The drop of liquid slithered its way slowly downward until it collided into another raindrop, only to create it larger than before. Hotaru followed it with the tip of her right index finger until it hit the bottom of the window.  
  
Hotaru let out a heavy sigh as she closed her eyelids around her deep violet eyes. Her small and gentle lips emitted the sigh slowly as her purple highlighted black hair gleamed around the frame of her head.   
  
"Hotaru?" a familiar female voice sounded through the empty hallways of her mansion, of her father's mansion. The calm voice told her that this woman only came because something was going to happen.  
  
"In here," Hotaru replied, giving the woman a sound wave to follow. Hotaru then looked out the window again and saw the damp world around her.  
  
"Hotaru, there you are. I have something to talk to you about," the woman told her as she came in with a small smile.  
  
She turned around and met those wise garnet eyes and the long dark green highlighted black hair and said, "Hello Setsuna. What matters bring you here?"  
  
Setsuna settled herself on the 14-year-old child's bed and looked around her surroundings. Unique lamps covered the neatly displayed red oak tables as light purple bed spread covered the bed and sitting beside the bed, facing the window, was one of the most destructive people in the cosmos system.  
  
She sat there with her knees together and hands folded on her lap, looking directly at her in a ladylike manner. She wore blue jeans that flared out at the bottom and a red t-shirt that was baggy, 'Hotaru was always modest.' Setsuna thought with a smile.  
  
"Hotaru I have a mission for you to cover," Setsuna told the teenager in front of her.  
  
Hotaru now remembered why she sometimes disliked Setsuna visiting her. If it wasn't fighting a new evil being then it was to travel around the universe blowing up other evil beings. Hotaru put on a straight face and asked, "What do you want me to do?"  
  
Setsuna stood up and got serious, "Our soon-to-be queen is sixteen and must be reminded of her princess training and must be taught about her queenly duties and how she should act."  
  
Hotaru knew her mission immediately so she stated, "You want me to train her majesty."  
  
Setsuna smiled and answered, "I knew I could trust you. I told her about it already all you have to do is to transfer into Hogwarts."  
  
Hotaru's interest got grabbed, "But that's in England."  
  
Setsuna nodded and told her, "I know. Not only will her magic skills be improved she would learn better in that atmosphere because more people are like her... like you."  
  
"What? They can blow up planets too?" Hotaru asked, in truth she didn't want to go and leave her father. Especially when it meant all the way to England.  
  
"Hotaru," Setsuna started again with a more serious voice, "I mean it."  
  
Hotaru used most of her will power to stop herself from rolling her eyes, "of course. I will go to Hogwarts with the princess and train her there."  
  
"Good," Setsuna said while nodding, "I already enrolled you two there. All you have to do is make it there."  
  
Hotaru nodded as Setsuna walked out of her room. She let out another sigh and looked outside, today was not her day! She bit her lower lip, she didn't want to train the princess, and she didn't want to do anything! All she wanted to do was spend most of her days with her father!  
  
"Miss Hotaru, dinner is served," a manservant told her.  
  
Hotaru let out a low sigh and got up. Walking down the hall towards the dining room, she tried to sort out ways to tell her father that she needed to transfer to an unknown school. Swallowing her saliva she signalled the manservant to open the door, and in she went.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Holding a piece of steak with her fork her father spoke, "Setsuna told me everything. You don't need to tell me."  
  
She looked up and forced a smile, "I'm sorry dad. I don't want to go either, I want to spend time with you."  
  
Mr. Tomoe smiled, "Hun, you don't need to say a thing. I love you too. But I can't stop you from being you. Just promise me that you'll take care of yourself alright?"  
  
Hotaru nodded.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Looking at the ceiling from her bed she was in deep thought. Why did she have to deal with the most dangerous things like traveling to other planets and the most important missions like training her own princess?   
  
Her head was swarming with other thoughts that were unwanted. She hated being who she was! The most dangerous senshi that got taken over by Mistress 9, the most immature senshi that Chaos needed to reawaken her and now she needed to train Usagi Tsukino. What if she didn't succeed? What if she just got in the way? What if she failed?  
  
Hotaru slammed her fist on her bed in frustration. She didn't know what to do but sleep for now, because tomorrow she needs to sit on the plane for hours to reach England. Closing her eyes she used her gifted powers to drown out her thoughts and into sleep.  
  
~*~*~  
  
TENSHI CAT 


	2. Tethys

SATURN'S SHINE  
  
CHAPTER TWO: TETHYS   
  
~*~*~  
  
Hotaru looked out the window and was greeted by nothing but the sky. She looked to her right and saw Usagi looking out the window too. She then attempted to start a conversation with her superior, "Usagi, do you know why we're going to Hogwarts?"  
  
Usagi looked at the senshi of Saturn, "I believe that we are going because you need to train me, right?"  
  
Hotaru smiled, "Yeah. So are ready to start your training?"  
  
"Right now?" Usagi asked; a bit surprised.  
  
Hotaru nodded then instructed, "Usagi when you sit you must have your knees together and your hands folded on your lap."  
  
Hotaru watched intently as Usagi did what she said and was getting the hang of sitting like that until a waitress came with treats on a cart. Almost instantly Usagi jumped up and asked for some candy.  
  
Hotaru saw this and immediately let out a tired sigh; finally the first problem in the book. How was she going to teach Usagi how to eat properly?!? All she knew was that she needed to probably give her princess a diet plan or something like that.  
  
She looked out the windows again and saw that they have arrived in England safe and sound. Lifting up her hand she began to trace the rooftops with her finger, knowing full well that there was unknown danger at every corner.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Hotaru gripped onto her luggage as Usagi stared around innocently for a few minutes. She couldn't help but smile at her princess's ways. No matter how innocent she looked she knew that Usagi could blow up a planet... and not die in the process... so unlike herself.  
  
Sometimes she envied Usagi's carefree attitude about some things and the way she can make friends so fast. She, herself, always worried about the people's safety and never could make a friend fast enough to save her life. If it weren't for Rini than she would still be her lonesome self.  
  
The two of them were at Platform 9 and 3/4 and was waiting for the train to stroll in when all of a sudden Luna came out of her cage and leaped onto Usagi's left shoulder. Hotaru only smiled again when she felt soft lick on her hands.  
  
The 14-year-old senshi of Saturn looked down and her eyes grew misty. Setsuna sent her a black Persian because she knew that she didn't want to go through with this mission. Of course she didn't. Not when they just defeated Chaos and she was returned to her father, only to be ripped apart from him a few months later.  
She looked at the animal and wondered if Hogwarts allowed such a huge and dangerous animal, but then her thought was wiped away when the cat nudged her leg with affection. Her smile grew and knew this creature could be dangerous when she wanted to so Hotaru told it, "Okay, you won't disobey me, will you?"  
  
The Persian purred telling her that she won't cross the line and won't push her new mistress to the edge.  
  
Hotaru nodded, feeling happier that this animal would do as she was told; then she said, "Now I need a name for you." The cat purred in happiness as Hotaru tried to cough up the best name for her.  
  
Her violet eyes stared into her glowing golden ones that simply flashed an image of the moon in her mind but then the black fur gave her a more mysterious look like the planet Saturn. That's when a boy with glasses walked by making her swift head turn towards him with a flash of alert in her eyes which reminded Hotaru that this cat could kill and has a glare that could freeze anyone.  
  
She hissed at the boy as he and his two friends backed away. Noticing that she immediately apologized to them, "I'm sorry if she scared you all. She's a bit protective of me."  
  
"Well, if you ask you should put it to sleep," came the remark from her left.  
  
Hotaru looked at the boy with slick blonde hair as her pet growled threateningly when she noticed her mistress's mood change from happiness to anger. Hotaru placed her hand on her pet's hand telling her to not make a move.  
  
"And you are?" Hotaru asked smoothly while narrowing her eyes.  
  
"Malfoy," the girl informed her as the guy smirked. The girl was near the boy with the glasses had brown frizzy hair and looked just as angry as the other two boys beside her.  
  
"Nice to see you too, you frizz ball," Malfoy slickly said.  
  
"My name is Hermione," the girl declared.  
  
"Yeah," Hotaru began, "Her name is Hermione. Or is your head too small to process the information?"  
  
Malfoy eyed the black-headed girl carefully and warned her, "Since you're new, let me tell you to not hang around these losers or you'll get it." With that he and his two friends walked away.  
  
"Thanks," Hermione said, "My name is Hermione Granger."  
  
"You're welcome," Hotaru replied, "Mine's Hotaru Tomoe and this pet of mine is... Tethys." The came so suddenly that Hotaru had to be in deep thought on how it came to her, but Tethys (Tee-this) purred delightfully.  
  
Hermione gave out a small smile and introduced Hotaru to her other friends, "This Ron Weasley and Harry Potter."  
  
Hotaru blinked out from her thoughts and smiled politely and was about to comment when the train roared to a stop so she told them, "I got to go. Nice meeting you three."  
  
Harry nodded as the girl ran to another girl telling her to get on the train. Harry stood in shock so suddenly that he was sure a club or something had knocked him out. The blonde haired girl was... how would you put it? Gorgeous.  
  
"Harry, we got to get on board," Ron told him as he nodded mindlessly in return.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Hotaru watched as her pet, Tethys, curling up and settling herself near her feet. With a silent "purr" the cat feel asleep while Usagi slept on as well. Hotaru was confused in how she thought up the name Tethys so fast.  
  
"Luna," Hotaru whispered to the guardian black cat of the moon, "Is the name Tethys familiar to you?"  
  
Luna stood up and walked over to her, she then looked at the giant cat under them and said, "Of course. Tethys is one of the names of Saturn's moons."  
  
Of course! Why haven't Hotaru figured it out yet? Her pet had eyes of a shining moon, like the moon Tethys. The narrowed eyes of the cat reminded Hotaru of Tethys's water/ice surface. It was perfect! The name, Tethys, was perfect for her cat.  
  
Hotaru smiled as she gently petted the cat's head affectionately. She could hear the faint purring sound while Tethys was sleeping. She was the absolute perfect pet for the Sailor Senshi of death and rebirth.   
  
Hotaru then sat back with a sigh of content. 'Maybe going to Hogwarts wasn't such a bad idea..." Hotaru thought as the steady pace of the train carried her to sleep as well.   
  
~*~*~  
  
TENSHI CAT 


	3. Let's Do This Together

SATURN'S SHINE  
  
CHAPTER THREE: LET'S DO THIS TOGETHER  
  
~*~  
  
Hotaru wandered around the train with Tethys trailing behind her as she tried to look for something to eat. She stumbled from time to time because of the unsteadiness of the train but she somehow managed to not give up finding the waitress even if she just bumped into someone.  
  
"Sorry," Hotaru mumbled loud enough for the boy to hear.  
  
"No need to babe," the male commented while looking at her face.  
  
It was then that Tethys gave a low growl when he felt his mistress's attitude suddenly change without warning. The sense of anger flared invisibly from Hotaru's delicate skin to Tethys' black smooth fur, the contact was, of course, unseen but clashed among Tehtys' senses immediately.  
  
"Excuse me?" Hotaru asked as politely as she can, especially when some stranger just called her 'babe'. She could feel anger slowly creep from her heart, up her throat and out of her mouth, cursing at him and yelling at him to not ever speak of the word 'babe' towards her again.  
  
"What?" he asked as if he didn't know what she was talking about.   
  
"She doesn't want you to call her 'babe' idiot," his friend answered for him.  
  
Finally taking her eyes from the boy, she looked at his friend. The friend apparently was Chinese and had black slick hair in a short ponytail at the back of his head and dark mysterious brown eyes that could be mistaken for black. "Thank you for telling this jerk," she said.  
  
"Oh, so now I'm a jerk. First I'm an idiot and now I'm a jerk," he spoke numbly with a scowl on his face.   
  
It didn't take long for Hotaru to take in his features as well... he had chestnut brown hair in a braid and cobalt eyes that gleamed with mischief. The way his lips were frowning told her that he didn't frown often, which meant he was another one of those extra cheerful guys.   
  
"Well, you gotta know that maybe some girl don't like to be called 'babe'," Hotaru put out bluntly as if it was the most obvious thing. Tethys added an extra growl to extend her point.  
  
Looking at the beast the girl had he started to get nervous, "Sorry..."  
  
Hotaru nodded angrily and said through clenched teeth, "You better be."  
  
"Sorry miss, but Duo here," the blonde male pointed to the guy who angered her, "is truly very sorry for his actions."  
Hotaru let a smile appear. This boy who had cerulean blue eyes and smooth blonde hair seemed nice, especially with the warm aura around him. Tethys' growl slowly dispersed letting a very silent purr escape her throat as she rubbed her face on the boy's hand.  
  
The boy didn't even tense up, instead he welcomed the furry face as he introduced themselves, "My name is Quartre, that's Duo, Wufei, Trowa and over there is Heero."  
  
Hotaru nodded, "I'm Hotaru and that's Tethys."  
  
"Wow, that's a nice pet," Duo spoke out while looking at the panther a bit tense.  
  
"So what are you doing wandering around?" Trowa asked unexpectedly. Hotaru looked at him for the real first time, his brown bangs covered one of his emerald eyes as the other one stared directly at her.  
  
"Looking for food," Hotaru answered a bit weird to talk to five almost strange boys. But in a way they seem familiar, like they've met before but she couldn't quite place her mind on it.  
  
They nodded understandingly when Quartre told her, "We've been doing the same thing. There doesn't seem to have anybody go around selling food yet."  
  
"Hotaru?" suddenly Usagi's voice appeared from nowhere.  
  
"Well... there's a real nice babe," Duo said while examining Usagi.  
  
Usagi blushed when she heard that complement as Luna, perched on Usagi's shoulder, looked at the young man.   
  
Slowly Hotaru found her voice and introduced her companion to the boys, "This is Usagi. My friend."  
  
"Hello," Usagi said awkwardly.  
  
"Hi," the voice of Heero came out from the corner as if Usagi drew his voice to come out. The boys couldn't really hear him due to the fact that they were introducing themselves to Usagi. He had brown hair with cobalt eyes that seemed to glare a lot.  
  
Hotaru rolled her eyes. Another bunch of boys who were attracted to Usagi, it was so predictable. Now another trouble added to her list. How was she supposed to prevent Usagi from falling in love with a bunch of boys and train her in a MAGIC school?  
  
Tethys swirled her head when she felt her mistress in another deep thought and decided to walk up to her and lick her hand affectionately. It calmed Hotaru's disturbed thoughts for a brief moment but then the thought came back to her.  
  
"Hey... um... I gotta go, k?" Hotaru asked shyly.  
  
"Sure," Quartre was the only one who answered her as she went back to her seat.  
  
Sitting back she saw Hogwarts in the view and sighed. Sighing seems to be her hobby now a day. She stared at Tethys for a while but then smiled; if Tethys was her pet and friend then she should finally accept the cat. She bent down and gave her a hug and whispered in a pleading voice, "If I have to do this. Would you please help me?"  
  
A single purr was all the answer she needed as she held onto Tethys tighter because this cat was her only comfort right now. She had begun to think that Setsuna didn't care for her any more, especially when the Time Guardian fully knew that she had just reunited with her father.  
  
Hakura and Michiru could of trained Usagi and they didn't have problems like she did. She was the one who needed to kill unexpected enemies that no one ever heard of and she was the one who needed to deal with Usagi now.  
  
Why couldn't the inners do this instead of her? Why did she have to have this fate and problems? Why must she be the senshi who couldn't make friends as easily as her princess? Why must she be so ugly?!?!  
  
Her thoughts suddenly cleared when Tethys purred lightly, clensing her mind of such stressful thoughts from her. It was then that Hotaru shared a bond with the cat and accepted it.  
  
She clung to her pet and friend almost desperately. She was in an unknown world and was alone; Usagi didn't help much right now. She suddenly felt like a little girl clinging onto Tethys for her dear life. As the loneliness slowly faded away she smiled and felt like she was loved again.  
  
A stray tear escaped and slid onto the sleek black fur as her voice came out, "Let's do this together..."  
  
~*~  
  
TENSHI CAT 


	4. The Sorting Hat Knew Best

SATURN'S SHINE  
  
CHAPTER FOUR: THE SORTING HAT KNEW BEST  
  
~*~  
  
Hotaru stepped out of the scarlet train and onto solid ground with Tethys walking in front of her. Behind her was Usagi with Luna on her shoulders. It was then that she heard a giant, of some sort, calling for first years.   
  
"Where do we go?" Usagi asked while she looked curiously around.  
  
"I don't know," replied Hotaru when she was confused as well.   
  
"Hotaru!" a familiar voice sounded from the crowd.  
  
Hotaru's senses traveled towards the voice and found, "Hermione!"  
  
"Hey, how is it?" Hermione asked, "And this is?"  
  
"This is Usagi, my friend and we're... well... we don't know where to go," Hotaru told her as Harry and Ron appeared.   
  
"Hello," Usagi greeted cheerfully as Harry and Ron stared at her.  
  
Hermione smiled at the greeting and introduced her two friends, "This is Harry and Ron."  
  
"Hey..." Ron said while admiring her thick golden hair.  
  
"Hello," Harry, on the other end, actually got his head straight and got out a solid word without wavering, "Hello Hotaru, Tethys."  
  
Tethys gave a small pleasant growl, telling Harry that she approved of him.  
  
Hermione was about to speak when Professor Dumbledore came from almost nowhere and directed his voice to Usagi and Hotaru, "Welcome ladies to Hogwarts, the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm the headmaster of this school; you may call me Professor Dumbledore. Now, please, if you'll follow me."  
  
Hotaru stared at Hermione, dumbfounded. Hermione just struggled and signalled to her to follow the headmaster to Hogwarts. Hotaru nodded dumbly and said to Usagi, "I think we should follow."  
  
Usagi nodded her head in agreement as she started to walk behind Dumbledore. When Hotaru saw Usagi follow Professor Dumbledore she then said to the others, "Seeya then?"  
  
"Of course," Hermione returned with a smile. Hotaru nodded and grinned, making Tethys lower her defences towards Hermione since the frizz-haired girl was getting along quite well with her mistress. As Hotaru walked away, Hermione had to pull Harry and Ron by their collars into Hogwarts since they were still dazed from meeting with Usagi.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, where are we going, if I may ask?" Hotaru questioned in a polite voice as Tethys stayed quietly behind her.  
  
"Of course you may ask and to answer your question, we are going to the Dining Hall to get sorted, Miss Tomoe," the old headmaster answered with a smile.  
  
"Hotaru, Professor, please call me Hotaru," she told him with a nervous smile.  
  
A laugh emitted from Albus Dumbledore, "Yes, yes. Hotaru... such a beautiful name if I don't say so myself."  
  
"Thank you," Hotaru whispered with a red blush painted on her cheeks.   
  
"You're very welcome," he whispered back, "Now. We are here. The Dinning Hall, please line yourselves up against the left wall where the first years are."  
  
Hotaru nodded lifelessly as she stared at the candles floating in mid-air, with so many people sitting on chairs. It was then that she felt Tethys nudge the back of her leg, making her take Usagi's hand gently and lead them to the wall where first years were.  
  
Then a woman professor set an old and worn looking witch hat on a stool. The professor then started to call out names. One by one, each first year went up and sat on the stool, the professor set the hat on the student's head... and it spoke!  
  
Tethys growled because of the unexpected voice from a normal object. Hotaru placed her hand on Tethys' head to calm the growling beast. When all the first years were sorted into their houses, she began to realize that many people hated the house called Slytherin.   
  
When it was their time to be sorted, Professor Dumbledore stood up and told the school that Usagi and Hotaru were transferred from their old school into Hogwarts. The first out of the two to get sorted was Usagi Tsukino.  
  
While Usagi sat motionlessly on the stool, the hat began to talk. Telling all of her talents, "Much courage you possess, child. You have beauty, both in and out. Your heart is beyond those of pure. You are difficult to sort. Though you definitely do not in Slytherin or Ravenclaw."  
  
Hotaru saw the faces of the boys in Slytherin and Ravenclaw frown and heard a deafening sigh. She then knew that they wanted Usagi into their houses... really bad.  
  
The hat spoke again, "You most likely belong in Hufflepuff, but... your courage direct to a different path. You, Usagi Tsukino, belong in GRYFFINDOR!"   
  
The house of Gryffindor roared in excitement. Most of the noise was from the male population of Gryffindor. Hotaru saw Malfoy sneer at the table, and she also saw Heero keeping his eyes on Usagi intently. It was then that Hotaru was called.  
  
A supportive nudge from Tethys got her to move up to the mini-platform and onto the stool. The hat was then placed on her head, covering her eyes. She felt her heart beat loudly when eyes were upon her.   
  
The hat had a difficult time in reading her. But eventually it spoke, "Very interesting... very... unique... such darkness... yet such light. The courage you have surpasses even Usagi's... your strength is beyond imaginable."  
  
Then the hat whispered, "But you are lonely... so betrayed... so sad."  
  
"There is no mistake... the house you will truly achieve well in is defiantly... SLYTHERIN!" the hat yelled the name.   
  
The Slytherin table fell silent. Hermione was shocked. Harry gave out fit of coughs. Quartre chocked on his water. Even the great Albus Dumbledore gave out a frown on his face. Surely, they thought, that the Sorting Hat made a very serious mistake.  
  
Hotaru stayed silent as she pulled the hat off and put it on the stool gently. Tethys let out a low growl as she felt Hotaru become tense and nervous. Hotaru then walked gracefully to the table and sat quietly.  
  
No noise came as another disturbing thought came up in Hotaru's mind. Not only were boys falling for Usagi quite fast, but also she must train Usagi in bother the queenly way and the magic way. Not only that, they were in separate houses. What was she to do now?  
  
Hotaru didn't mind when the hat told her to go to the Slytherin House, besides the hat knew best. But being so far away from her princess was another story. And it bugged tremendously.  
  
"Well, she's not with losers after all," came Malfoy's remark.  
  
"Shut up bastard," Hotaru sneered.  
  
No one said a word after that. And Hotaru already hated the house Slytherin, but who was she to question the hat, besides, the Sorting Hat knew best.   
  
~*~  
  
TENSHI CAT 


	5. Double Potions

SATURN'S SHINE  
  
CHAPTER FIVE: DOUBLE POTIONS  
  
~*~  
  
Hotaru was being woken up by a soft nudge against her sleeping form. She let out a moan and went back to sleep, only to be greeted by a stronger nudge. She grunted, rolled her body towards the source of her "alarm clock", and narrowed her eyes at none other than, Tethys.   
  
The large black cat gave a "purr" that told her mistress to wake up. Hotaru, still not liking the thought that she was sorted in Slytherin, sat up slowly and saw that no one else was in the dormitory. She gave a slight glance at her alarm clock and got up.  
  
That "slight glance" registered through her brain the next minute and all you could hear from the Slytherin House was, "I'M LATE!" Then out burst a girl, who was dressed hastily, books a bit off balanced in her arms, sleep glazed at the edges of her eyes with a black panther following closely behind, was running towards her Double Potions class with the Gryffindor students.  
  
Ten minutes later the same disordered girl slammed open the door, cutting off the Potion's Professor's lecture in mid-sentence. Seeing this, Hotaru Tomoe quickly tried to explain, "I'm so sorry, Professor. I didn't know what time it was and my alarm clo-"  
  
"It's quite alright, Miss Tomoe," the Professor said, fixing a warning glare at her, "Just don't do that again. Now, take your seat beside Mr. Malfoy."  
  
She gave a numb nod and quickly sat down at her seat. She saw that some Gryffindors were hiding sneers, causing her to squash deeper into her seat, hoping to disappear. She felt awful as Hermione looked at her with sympathy. Then she saw Usagi waving slightly at her, with boys surrounding her and some were even holding red roses out towards her!  
  
Hotaru waved meekly at Usagi and then directed her attention to the Professor when the boy sitting beside her scolded in a hiss, "You should wake up earlier more often. You're giving us Slytherins bad reputations already! Now the Gryffindors will never let this one down!"  
  
Recognizing the voice, she quickly snapped in a mere whisper, "Shut up, Malfoy! The other girls in the dormitory didn't even bother to wake me up, so it's partially their fault too!"  
  
"Don't you blame them too, Tomoe!" Draco whispered back.  
  
"Now students," the Professor addressed them with his same low hiss, "You will have to put the dragon snaps in BEFORE you put in the phoenix tail feather in order to make the defence potion. Now, partner up with the person beside you."  
  
Both Hotaru and Draco totally drowned out the teacher and were in a heated whispering fight. So, when the cauldron was boiling with a sick sound, Draco reached for the phoenix feather first.  
  
"Wrong ingredient, MALFOY," she told him with narrowed eyes. Tethys let out a growl to confirm her statement.  
  
Draco rolled his eyes and muttered, "Whatever." Then dropped the feather into the potion and then the dragon snaps.  
  
"NO!" Hotaru gasped. But her out burst was drowned by the sound of an explosion! The explosion knocked both Draco and Hotaru off of their chairs and onto their backs, Tethys was pushed across the room and the other cauldrons shattered due to one enormous sound wave from the explosion.   
  
In the aftermath, Professor Snape's voice came through the thick grey clouds, "Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Tomoe you will be serving detention today! You will meet me in my room after dinner."  
  
Then the bell rang, signalling the end of Double Potions. Harry was going to get up to talk to Usagi when Professor Snape stepped in the way, "Where do you think you're going, Potter? Do you not see the mess in my classroom? Obviously you don't care... and because of that, you will stay behind and clean this all up!"  
  
Hotaru immediately felt that it wasn't fair for Harry to be late for whatever class he was going to and felt that she should be the one who should be cleaning up... since it was partially her fault. So she suddenly cried, "I'm part of the reason for this mess. I want to help clean it."  
  
"Fine!" Snape snapped, not even caring if she was a Slytherin or not, "You will stay with Potter and clean this place up! And you two will not leave until I am satisfied with your work!"  
  
With that, the Potion Professor huffed away, leaving the two alone, dirty and slightly hurt because of the explosion. Hotaru looked at Harry and saw that he was glaring at her. She was taken aback by his attitude as he bent down to pick up a shattered cauldron.   
  
She bit her lower lip and quickly ran up to Tethys' limping form and gently held her, "Are you okay?"  
  
Tethys forced out a 'purr' to assure her mistress that she was fine. She slowly got up and shook her head to stop the world around her going in circles. When Hotaru was sure that Tethys was all right, she gave her pet another hug before she bent down and started to clean.  
  
Harry looked up and saw how Hotaru loved her giant cat. His glare softened, but then he remembered that he was in this mess because of her and Malfoy! He quickly rolled his eyes at her and continued to clean up.  
  
After several unbearable minutes, Hotaru decided to strike up a conversation, "So..."  
  
"Shut up," he snapped, causing Tethys to growl at him for using such a tone towards Hotaru.  
  
She looked at him, obviously feeling insulted so she countered, "What's your problem?"  
  
"You," Harry said as he scrubbed the floor.  
  
"Why?" she asked with anger weaved into her voice.  
  
"Because of you and Malfoy I didn't get a chance to talk to Usagi!" he yelled in frustration.  
  
Hotaru dropped the piece of cloth she had in her hands in shock, "I see... you like her too, don't you?"  
  
Harry met her statement with silence. Tethys looked at one person to another... obviously confused.  
  
"Of course you're not the only one," Hotaru whispered, thinking of Mamoru back in Tokyo. She mustn't let Usagi fall for another or disaster would fall!  
  
"I can see that! I'm not blind," he retorted.   
  
"You don't understand," she sighed, "She's no normal person."  
  
"Of course she isn't," Harry muttered, "She's an angel."  
  
'Wow,' Hotaru thought, ' He's fallen for Usagi... HARD!'  
  
"Just... never mind," Hotaru said, shaking her head before scrubbing the desk.  
  
Harry looked at her in a strange way, as if she was crazy. And it was then that the sun hit her hair, highlighting it violet. The strands danced around her face... just taunting him to touch them. He felt his hand tremble, but quickly forgot about it when Professor Snape came in.  
  
"Good, you're finally done!" he snapped as he surveyed his now clean classroom, "Now... get to lunch."  
  
The two hurried off to lunch as quickly as possible, afraid that if they stayed any longer, Professor Snape would demand they do more physical labour. Before long, Hotaru finished lunch, went to her other classes with Malfoy scolding her for helping Harry clean up and then right after dinner she found herself standing beside Malfoy... looking at a closed classroom door.  
  
~*~  
  
TENSHI CAT 


End file.
